


Warm Violet

by karovie, knifeboye



Series: Blue Wonders [5]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Ball, Bioluminescence, Fluff, God of Love, Happy, Love, M/M, PTSD mentioned, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Romance, Romantic Comedy, Romantic Fluff, Sappy, calm, hints of PTSD, royal dance, very sappy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-19
Updated: 2020-04-19
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:28:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,338
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23743840
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/karovie/pseuds/karovie, https://archiveofourown.org/users/knifeboye/pseuds/knifeboye
Summary: The team visits a bioluminescent planet to ally with the people there. Upon contact they find the people are celebrating Wallakkis, the god of love. the team are invited to the royal dance and a feast. Keith and Lance sneak off on an magical adventure through the glowing forest.
Relationships: Keith/Lance (Voltron)
Series: Blue Wonders [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/791052
Comments: 5
Kudos: 66





	Warm Violet

**Author's Note:**

> After being overwhelmed by life, work and the state of the world, we finally managed to finish this cute little episode in our story!  
> We truly hope you enjoy this, and apologize in advance for the rotting of teeth from this sweetness.  
> I would also personally like to apologize in advance for probably taking very long to finishing the next part, as we decided it needed to be rewritten.  
> I asked @Knifeboye whether they wanted to say something else, and I quote: "Nah".  
> So on behalf of both of us, we really hope you enjoy this little fluff!

“Coran, how much longer until we reach planet Zaalia?” Shiro asked, propping his robotic arm on the head of the Altean’s seat in the control room of the castle. Displayed before them was an intricate map of the stars- the occasional cluster labeled in a jumble of Altean writing. Coran gestured to the symbols before replying.

“I’d say just about another varga. Maybe less.”

“Have the Ivril received our message?”

“Indeed. The queen herself wants to welcome Voltron to her castle for a  _ scraaq’aek trairnaith.  _ It’s the highest possible honor bestowed upon outsiders!” Coran explained, making sure to sound very important as his face lit up with joy. 

Shiro furrowed his brow, tilting his head. “A…  _ scraa--” _

_ “Scraaq’aek trairnaith,”  _ Coran insisted.

Shiro smiled hesitantly. “Well… what is it?”

“A dance party!” Coran exclaimed, eyes filled with excitement. “We’ll have to look the part, of course. I was going to call a meeting to give everyone the do’s and don'ts of Ivrilian culture. We  _ mustn't  _ insult them.”

Giving Coran a reassuring smile, Shiro straightened up. “I’ll gather the team.”

* * *

Needless to say, after Coran finished performing a  _ very  _ elaborate and animated example of how to do a proper  _ Ittan  _ dance- which looked to be a “strange combination of both the salsa and a waltz”, Lance murmured to Keith, who was sat on the arm of a chair Lance was lounging on- the paladins were unimpressed and more confused than ever.

“Coran,” Pidge spoke up, “exactly how long has it been since you’ve been to Zaalia?”

Coran stopped to think, placing a gloved hand on his chin. “Well, minding the ten thousand years Allura and I were asleep,” he started counting on his hand, murmuring to himself as the paladins exchanged uneasy glances, “yes, well, I suppose it would be safe to say it's been about ten thousand two hundred and three years, now.”

The paladins looked more apprehensive than before, Hunk looking particularly green in the face. Allura chimed in, trying to lighten their spirits as she gave them all a reassuring smile.

“The Ivril are known to be quite…  _ old fashioned.  _ They value their customs and traditions more than anything. There can’t have been  _ too  _ many changes in the time that has passed,” she thought for a moment, starting to sound unsure with herself towards the end of her pep-talk. Lance gave Keith a concerned look, and the red paladin snorted. Allura spoke up, again, “They are, however, a very friendly and open-minded people, so perhaps they won’t be terribly offended if we should not get the dance correct. They love educating others of their culture.”

“Of that you’re right, Princess! But, we do still need to look the part- this is a royal ball, after all!” Coran exclaimed. He dashed out of the room for a moment, leaving the paladins to murmur uneasily amongst themselves before he returned, wheeling in an enormous metallic box. He kicked the side of it firmly two times with the sole of his boot, and a panel fell to the floor revealing a rack of intricate clothes.

Allura looked properly excited to see the colors and rich fabrics, and Lance’s interest was very much piqued as well. The others seemed curious, but remembered amongst themselves Coran’s idea of blending in at the mall. So they were rightly suspicious as to what  _ looking the part  _ meant.

However, they were pleasantly surprised once they pulled out the garments to have a proper look at them. It all actually looked wonderful. There were several pieces to choose from, and in true Altean magic, it didn’t matter what size the clothes were, as they resized themselves to fit each paladin as if it had been tailored to their likeness.

Not to mention, putting on the clothes seemed to activate some kind of mechanism. Each intricately sewn pattern in the rich fabrics would suddenly glow gently, making the wearer look absolutely otherworldly. The paladins stared at themselves and at each other once they’d gotten dressed in the outfits Coran had helped them select. Pidge and Hunk in particular were absolutely enthralled with the mechanics of the garments.

Lance happened to notice the styles took on a lot of old clothing from Earth’s history. He babbled on excitedly to everyone about their particular pieces, revealing an interest in historical fashion which none of the paladins had previously known about.

Then Lance’s rants went on to talking about the proper hairstyle for each outfit, and the excited gleam in his eye was something the paladins _did_ know, and they all exchanged nervous glances as they started to suspect where this was leading. Lance then insisted he needed to style everyone’s hair to look more gala-ready, and they all saw his gaze slide over to Allura’s magnificently long and curly hair.

Allura, of course, noticed his eager eyes, and contemplated with herself for a moment before she smiled gently, offering her hair for him to style. Lance completely lit up, and noticing this, the others relented and offered as well. Lance was nearly vibrating with joy and giddiness. As Coran went off to fetch Allura’s hair styling products and tools, Lance sat himself behind her and played with her hair, babbling on about how he helped his sisters with their hair all the time back on Earth. He explained how he looked up dozens of videos and guides on it, and practiced on dolls until he was sure he got it right.

Considering the terrible ordeal Lance had been through, the paladins all silently agreed it was a relief to see him properly excited about something. They all noticed Lance had been wary of showing emotions. It was difficult to see their once enthusiastic and emotionally open paladin become so reserved. Seeing him unguarded, even from something as simple as this, was an opportunity none of them would let slide away.

The mice, which were sitting on his shoulder (they never strayed too far from him once he returned from his captivity), aided Lance in the styling of Allura’s hair- retrieving different items from the array of material Coran brought them, bringing them to Lance with happy squeaks. 

Lance fiddled with Allura’s hair for a long while, familiarizing himself with the lovely texture of it. The paladins watched happily as Lance melted into the soothing motion of brushing through Allura’s hair before he finally chose to style it to the side- pinning up portions loosely to add a soft shape before he decorated the style with small and intricate braids and delicate flower pins, leaving Allura looking, if possible, more ethereal than before. 

Allura squealed with excitement when she got a glimpse at the final product, and gave Lance a big hug as she thanked him. He laughed as she bounded excitedly to her room to put the finishing touches on her look.

Lance decided to go easy on his fellow paladins, since they had significantly less hair and looked more nervous than Allura. He promised them all he’d make them look elegant and proper as possible for the event. 

Lance braided the side of Matt’s hair for him- much like Pidge enjoyed doing, but a little neater. He brushed through Matt’s hair, trying to contain the wild mess it tended to be, and used some of Allura’s product to keep it nice and smooth.

For Coran, who insisted that he was always gala-ready, _ thank you very much,  _ Lance got him to relent to at least some tousling to add volume, and some product to bring out the shine in his lovely red hair.

With Hunk, Lance simply brushed his hair and tied back his fringe before deciding to braid it. He made sure the braid could be at least partially seen underneath the hat Hunk was choosing to wear. Lance nodded to himself with satisfaction upon seeing Hunk’s thick locks tamed and neat.

Lance moved on to Pidge, who looked absolutely excited to have her hair styled, though she still teased him skeptically. Though she tended not to dress so, Lance knew she deeply enjoyed dresses and the like- and especially loved having her hair played with by Lance when they’d have the rare occasion to hang out. Nevertheless, she fidgeted nervously as Lance brushed her disheveled hair. Lance side swept her hair, braiding a “headband” along the front to fit the small headdress she chose to wear. He added small shiny green pins to her hair- subtle yet beautiful- and Pidge couldn’t even pretend not to adore it.

Shiro’s hair was pretty easy- Lance simply insisted that Shiro  _ must  _ have his fringe slicked back, since he was “too handsome to have hair falling into his face like that”. Shiro snorted at the statement, and he was still as Lance brushed and worked on his hair, but eventually melted into it- a content smile on his face. The neatly slicked back hair combined with the beret-looking hat he’d be wearing gave Shiro an almost military look. It suited him.

Once everyone had left them alone to go prepare in their rooms, Lance sat Keith down to tackle his thick hair. He gave it a thorough brushing, gently laughing at Keith’s stiffness and unwillingness to relax under Lance’s ministrations. Lance decided to simply play with Keith’s hair for a while, talking to him about this and that to distract him. Eventually, Keith relaxed a bit, and Lance got to work. Lance tried many different styles- pulling Keith’s hair back every which way- before he decided to let some of Keith’s bangs hang down as they normally did. He gathered Keith’s hair into a smooth half-up style, braiding some side strands into the ponytail. Lance used some product to bring out the waviness of Keith’s hair, commenting on how beautiful he found Keith’s hair, and smiling to himself when the red paladin murmured an awkward thanks- his ears going pink. Once he was done Keith smiled at him, giving him another quick thanks before rushing off to his room to finish getting ready.

Content with his work, Lance smiled happily to himself- elated as he went off to his own room to get ready.

* * *

Everyone was waiting at the castle entrance when Lance finally joined them. He’d ended up just tousling his hair- slicking back the sides and leaving the top messy before he put a hat over it. The hat was a similar style to Hunk’s- a derby-like hat with a feather- and Lance felt the style suited them both nicely.

Each paladin's outfit gleamed with the color of their lions. Coran’s was deep orange, Matt’s a sharp neon green, and Allura’s a shimmering royal gold. Lance looked around at his friends, excitement boiling under his skin as he bounced on his toes. 

None of the paladins got to sneak a glance at the planet as they flew in- all too busy with readying themselves. They gathered close to the door, all eager to take it in.

The castle door split down the middle, sliding open and revealing the planet Zaalia to them all.

Lance’s breath caught in his throat at the sight.

The first thing he could register was light- dozens of beautifully colored lighting that swirled all around them as they stepped down the castle ramp. He realized that the whole planet was bathed in darkness, the light was coming from the plants and creatures all around them- a sort of bioluminescence.

The plants were enormous. Lance didn’t think he’d ever seen trees so gigantic- towering over them all, some taller than even the castle. The flowers were just as large and tall, and they filled the air with a lovely perfume that Lance inhaled with a smile on his lips. Giant strands of grass filled the landscape, reaching up to their chests and so thick they looked like leaves.

Lance’s attention was drawn back to the colors. Most of the plants glowed in beautiful colors that Lance was fairly certain he’d never even known existed. That combined with the smell of the flowers filled the city with a romantic air that made Lance’s heart swell.

The faintly glowing path before them led them all straight to a humble city. There were houses clustered together- both modern and rustic- around a hill with a large mansion on top. There were lights and decorations all over the city- and a bustle of activity. Music, chatter, and laughter filled the air. Close to the castle, there were a cluster of creatures that had gathered to greet them, and Lance realized they must be the Ivril.

A hand dropped on Lance’s shoulder, and he started as Allura came up to him with a teasing smile. 

“We will see the sights soon enough, Lance, but please let me walk ahead of you for a moment so I may greet our host.”

Lance hadn’t even realized how far he’d strayed from the group to take in the scenery around him, and he quickly nodded, smiling sheepishly as he stepped back to let her walk ahead.

Everyone followed behind Allura, taking in the lovely city with smiles on their faces.

The Ivril were just taller than Pidge, some reaching Keith’s height, though none were as tall as Shiro or Hunk. They almost looked to Lance like a humanoid axolotl. They had feathery antennas that were long and flowing- all styled differently. Their bodies were chubby and short-limbed, and their tails trailed delicately behind them. They didn’t wear much clothing- adorned instead with bioluminescent patterns on their skin, and elegant jewelry.

Their eyes were dark and rested nicely in their plump faces as they smiled warmly at Allura, all murmuring different welcomings.

The leader of the Ivril was standing at the front of the crowd. They were shorter than some of their people- their long antennas trailed on the ground along with their tail, and they were wearing royal-looking golden jewelry adorned with colorful stones. Their markings glowed in a regal purple against their pale pink, nearly translucent skin.

“Princess Allura, I welcome you and your people to our humble city,” the leader spoke up with a light yet firm voice. “My name is Iirlan, and I am the sovereign of this land. As you may already know, we are celebrating the festival of Wallakkis, the God of Love, and kindly welcome you to join our celebrations! Upon hearing of your arrival, we made sure to have our best cooks prepare a magnificent feast in your honor.”

“Thank you for your hospitality. We will happily accept the invitation to celebrate with you,” Allura replied with a kind smile, looking beautiful and regal in her glowing gown. “I also have some matters I wish to discuss with you, if you would grant me your time?”

Lance trailed away from their conversation as he looked about him, feeling like he was dreaming. This whole place was far too pretty to be real. It exuded peace and calm, and relaxed Lance in a way he hadn’t been able to for a very long time. It was hard to believe that in the middle of such a gruesome universal war, a place like this could exist- untouched by the bloodstained claws of the Galra empire.

A touch to the small of Lance’s back made him jump. He turned to see Keith peering at him from under his bangs. His unnaturally purple eyes glittered in the low light of the city, leaving Lance with a bubbly, swooning feeling in his chest.

“‘You feeling alright?” Keith asked. Lance just smiled at him, and reassured him he was alright.

“This planet is just so… beautiful. I think it’s the most lovely and relaxing place we’ve been, and we haven’t even seen the town properly, yet,” Lance laughed softly. Looking back to Allura, Lance realized introductions were being made. Keith and he both straightened up respectfully as they were introduced to Iirlan. They all bowed respectfully, in the fashion that Coran had instructed them, and Iirlan looked at them with warm and welcoming eyes, a smile on their face as they bowed in return.

“Welcome to all of you. I hope your stay here will be most pleasant and bring you the time you need to nurture your love for one another,” Iirlan clasped their hands together, and turned to an Ivril near them, “Walaya, could you be a dear and show our guests around the town?”

Walaya, an Ivril with green glowing patterns that lit up at the attention brought on them, straightened up, nodding eagerly.

“Of course!” they exclaimed as they bowed to Iirlan. The rest of the crowd began to disperse- returning to their celebrations. Allura, Coran, and Iirlan strolled towards the mansion, and Walaya guided the others towards town, showing them everything there was in store for them. As they walked around, Walaya pointed out special sculptures or bits of architecture, telling the stories of their history and the meaning they held for their people- the different bits of folklore that was tied deeply into their culture and arts. What really caught Lance’s attention was the story behind the festival they were celebrating. His eyes lit up at the mention of the Wallakkis, the God of Love. He didn’t even notice Keith paying extra attention to the look on Lance’s face, and therefore to the story Walaya told them all.

“This path right here is where the rulers of a time long passed were blessed by the Wallakkis- the God of Love. We put up this statue here in honor of their union,” Walaya explained, gesturing to a lovely marble statue of two Ivril facing one another with joined hands. The statue was encircled by the path that branched off to the woods. Beautiful glowing flowers surrounded the statue, crawling up the base. “It is said that the great Wallakkis shows itself only to inseparable souls, only during this time of the deca-phoeb. It is custom for couples to walk this path, following the stream all the way down to Lake Ganris. It is a long yet lovely path that many of our people take during this celebration in the hopes of seeing the Wallakkis themselves. Few have the pleasure of meeting the Wallakkis, however. It is a rare and prized blessing,” Walaya drawled with a dreamy expression on their face.

Lance was wearing an equally dreamy expression as he listened to the folklore. Keith couldn’t help but stare at the blue paladin, feeling himself warm to the core at the look on Lance’s face- the contentment in his expression as the lights of the city bathed him in color.

Maybe Keith could… maybe he could suggest they walk the path? Would that be okay for him to do- were they even at that stage, yet?

Keith worried at his lip, lost in thought as the tour continued on. He didn’t really pay attention to what was being said as he devised his plan. He would ask Lance to walk the path with him. They could go after the feast was over.

Keith was brought out of his thoughts when they finally entered the elaborate mansion, finding themselves in a great ballroom. A gentle yet lively tune was playing through the hall, and Ivril were dancing slowly around the room. They all only had a moment to observe the dancing before a crowd of Ivril rushed up to them, asking for a dance.

Shiro flushed and hesitated before accepting a small Ivril with violet lights, who led him swiftly to the dancefloor. The others all found dance partners, each accepting nervously except for Lance, who smiled wide and accepted his dance partner without hesitation. Keith found himself frozen to the spot, staring after the others before he let himself be led stiffly to the dancefloor.

Keith probably looked as nimble as a stone statue as he tried to follow his partner’s lead. After a few polite doboshes of dancing, he managed to escape the big crowd, finding a wall to stick to so he could safely observe the others far from the action.

That was until Lance found him only a little bit later, a healthy flush in his cheeks as he took Keith’s hands with a delighted laugh and pulled him back out to the dancefloor.

Keith found himself too mesmerized by the beauty of Lance’s carefree expression to even fret over his own clumsy movements. He wasn’t aware if he was even moving at all, focused only on the boy in front of him. When Lance’s blue eyes locked onto his, squinted with happiness, Keith felt something within his chest bubbling up- overflowing with affection.

The music had taken on a faster pace, leaving everyone to abandon the proper ballroom dance Coran had shown them. They all let loose, moving along with the music.

Lance’s laughter was contagious, and Keith found himself laughing along as he danced with the blue paladin. They spun each other around, and Lance always held onto Keith even when he was practically dancing on his own, Keith watching with a wide smile. Eventually they danced their way over to the others, and Lance’s eyes lit up when he saw them, grabbing at them and having them come to dance with him and Keith. Even Shiro, who looked as if he were struggling to relax into the music, couldn’t help but smile at Lance’s joy. Hunk spun Lance and dipped him, dancing with him dramatically as they laughed together, and Pidge was smiling happily as Matt swung her around. Moments later Coran and Allura joined them as well, showing off classic Altean dance moves to the others. 

Even in a ballroom of Ivril, Keith noticed, they all managed to have their own little bubble- a comfortable and happy space to relax.

The Ivril that were closest to the group were all watching them with amused smiles, and some even tried to copy the way they were dancing. Lance invited many of them into their dancing circle, and even began to teach them some moves, flaunting his smooth and carefree attitude. It was the closest to Lance’s normal self that Keith had seen him in a long time, and it made his heart ache with something. Keith wished he could erase Lance’s time in captivity- could switch places with him so he wouldn’t have had to suffer it. He didn’t deserve such hardship.

Nevertheless, it was nice to see the blue paladin so happy. Keith found himself lost watching him, a smile on his face.

He jumped when he was elbowed by Shiro. He spun to look at him, and the black paladin’s face was taken over by a very knowing, shit-eating smirk. Keith had been caught.

“Finally fallen too far to hide it, huh?” Shiro teased, earning a glare from Keith.

“Shut up,” he retaliated, too flustered to retort with something more clever. He was sure his face was turning as red as his lion, for he could certainly feel the heat that gathered in his cheeks.

Before Shiro could respond, Lance appeared before them, bringing them back into the middle of the loose circle as he tried to get them to dance, again. Looking at Shiro, Keith found him just as flustered as Keith had been moments earlier. 

Served him right.

Giving a satisfied nod when he got the brothers to dance again, Lance made his way over to Allura, spinning her. She couldn’t help but laugh at his antics, shuffling around with him for a few more moments before Lance proceeded over to Coran, who immediately jumped in and brought Lance into a proper ballroom spin around their group, which brought a look of surprise followed by enthralled laughter from the blue paladin.

Lance managed to dance with each and every one of his friends, and with a good handful of Ivril before the music tapered off into something more calm and soothing again, making them all cool down with a slow dance.

Lance surprised Keith by grabbing hold of him before any of the Ivril could get their shot at either of them. He smiled shyly as he led Keith away from the group, leading him through the dance. It was a complete three-sixty from how he had been moments earlier, and Keith found himself floored by it.

Keith’s hands found Lance’s shoulders, one remaining there while the other slid to his back, and Lances hands found purchase on Keith’s waist, pulling him near.

Having Lance so close… looking into the deep blue of his eyes- it was both alluring and completely nerve-racking at the same time. Keith didn’t know what to do with himself. He found himself just staring back, heat racing into his face and his breath caught in his throat. Lance was way too close. Those  _ eyes  _ were way too close. Keith needed air- needed a break, needed to get away.

But he _ really  _ didn’t want to leave.

So he tuned into things that could anchor him- the shaky press of Lance’s fingers into the soft part of Keith’s hips- the slow shuffling of their feet… the sweat that beaded on Lance’s brow from all the dancing he’d done, the freckles on his nose and cheeks. Keith’s hand- the one on Lance’s back- slid up until it reached the collar of his shirt, and he pinched it between his fingers, taking a deep breath.

“Keith--” Lance began, but the music came to a stop, interrupting what he was about to say.

Both relief and disappointment washed over Keith when they were all ushered into the dining hall. They ended up sitting in Voltron formation at the table- Shiro in the center, Lance and Keith at his right and Hunk and Pidge at his left. Allura sat by Lance, Coran on her other side and Matt sitting by Pidge.

There was a toast and a speech to their new alliance from Iirlan. Allura, in turn, held a short speech of thanks for the Ivril’s hospitality and for their help towards ending the Galra’s grasp on the universe. The table cheered, praising Voltron and the princess, and they all proceeded to dive into their meal.

The food was heavenly. It consisted mostly of fantastic fruits and vegetables, with small servings of fish and meat- or what Keith guessed it to be. Coran and Hunk’s eyes had lit up at the different dishes that were brought out, and they sent each other delighted looks from along the length of the table, communicating through their gazes despite sitting so far apart.

At some point through their meal they were served some sort of bun. Upon taking a bite, Keith realized it had a strong garlic-y flavour to it. It, like everything else, was delicious. Though this particular food seemed to be special to Lance. Keith had chanced a glance over at him, about to comment on the strangeness of garlic transcending through the universe, when he found Lance smiling sadly, tears welling up in his eyes.

Keith prickled, worry making him stiffen in his chair. “Are you alright?” he asked, whispering low so he wouldn’t bring attention to them. 

Lance blinked away the tears, wiping them away hurriedly with the back of his hand. He looked up at Keith and tried to give him a reassuring smile. 

“My mom and I used to make garlic knots together all the time back home. It was our thing. This just sorta hit home for me,” he looked away and gently pulled another piece off the bun before putting it in his mouth.

Keith smiled, a twinge in his heart. He could almost feel Lance’s ache for home, though this was a feeling he couldn’t properly understand. Keith had found his home in space- with his team being his new family. Lance sacrificed so much to be here….

An idea hit him, and Keith picked up the bun on his plate, then- making sure Lance was preoccupied- turned to look at Hunk, trying to get his attention. Once he looked up, Keith gave him an intense look, gesturing to the bun, then pointing at Lance. Hunk looked confused for a moment before he tried the bun on his own plate. Then his eyes lit up in understanding. He nodded seriously, and a little while later Keith noticed him catching the attention of one of the Ivril servers. They whispered amongst themselves, and a moment later they both disappeared out to what Keith guessed was the kitchen.

Satisfied that Hunk was on the case, Keith turned back to his own food.

They were served so many different dishes, Keith was sure they were all going to end up in a food coma. With the last dessert finally finished, leaving them too stuffed to move, they all settled for just sitting and talking amongst themselves for a long time, enjoying the atmosphere of the grand dining hall.

Once their food had settled, and Keith’s nerves began to rise with anticipation, he decided to put his plan into action.

He leaned over to Shiro, creating an excuse that Lance wanted to explore the city a bit, and that he would be joining him to make sure he wasn’t alone in case something were to happen. By the look on Shiro’s face, he didn’t believe him one bit, but Keith didn’t give him time to tease him, and instead got up, taking Lance by the elbow and dragging him out of the palace.

Lance easily followed, only giving Keith a questioning gaze once they were far away enough from the crowd. Keith just blurted that he felt like walking off all the food they ate, and that Shiro didn’t want him to go alone. Lance looked at him for a moment longer before he simply shrugged and tagged along.

They walked through the wonderful festival happening throughout the town- taking in the beautiful decorations and the happy Ivril that danced about. When Keith finally managed to lead him and Lance over to where the path of the Wallakkis started, Lance didn’t immediately catch on- too distracted observing the beautiful scenery around him. Only once they stepped onto the path itself- seeing wonderful illustrations that were painted onto the trunks of trees that surrounded them, did Lance realize what was going on. His eyes went wide as saucers, and then found Keith, looking at him with genuine surprise.

Keith just cleared his throat, dodging Lance’s gaze before taking him by the elbow and pulling him along.

Lance giggled- a bubbly thing that erupted from his throat as his hand found Keith’s arm and squeezed it, bringing him near. When Keith finally looked at Lance, all he could see was how the lights of the forest highlighted his profile- bringing an alien shine to his eyes- highlighting the curve of his nose and sharpness of his jaw.

When Lance turned to look at Keith and smiled adoringly, Keith’s heart launched itself into his throat.

He was screwed

* * *

Everything around them was aglow in fantastic colors- the plant life that surrounded him looked almost as though they were painted with intricate swirls and patterns of light. Keith found himself awestruck by the beauty of it- becoming more and more complex and lovely as they ventured further on. Judging by the look on Lance’s face, he was just as amazed.

It all really was very beautiful. Lost in the seclusion of the forest, and away from the prying eyes of his fellow paladins and the Ivril, Keith felt his nervousness fade away. He let himself enjoy Lance’s company, and the beautiful landscape they were lucky enough to find themselves in.

Keith looked over at Lance, and found that the blue paladin was already staring at him. Rather than shy from Keith’s gaze, Lance held it and smiled before reaching out to nudge at Keith’s finger with his own- an invitation.

Keith felt his heart flutter in his chest, a pleasant shiver coursing through him as he intertwined their fingers- the touching of their skin almost like electricity.

At Keith’s acceptance of Lance’s gesture, the blue paladin leaned in closer, letting their arms press warmly together, shoulders brushing as they walked hand in hand through the forest trail.

“What are you thinking about?” Lance asked, and his voice was so gentle and so close to Keith’s ear. Keith squeezed Lance’s hand before replying.

“That I’m glad we’re here… together… doing this,” he admitted, knowing he could be honest with Lance. “Even with everything going on, we’ve found this little escape, and I just… feel really lucky.”

Lance smiled- the kind that made his right eye wrinkle more than his left, and Keith was overcome with the sudden urge to kiss it. He restrained himself.

“Me, too,” Lance replied. “Don’t get me wrong, I love the others, but it’s just really…  _ nice  _ to be alone with you. I feel like we don’t get to do this much on the castle ship.”

Keith flushed, smiling wide. He felt strangely giddy. “Well, y’know… we could do this more. Just take the lions and explore random planets. Just the two of us.”

Lance smiled teasingly and leaned in close. “Oooo, Mullet, are you going to be taking me on cheesy dates around the galaxy?”

“Yes,” Keith deadpanned, and Lance tripped over a tree root in his flustered state, staying upright only with Keith’s support.

“O-oh,” he stuttered, his face flushed adorably. Keith couldn’t help but smile fondly as Lance cleared his throat and gathered himself. “Uhm, yeah. I’d… like that.”

Keith chuckled before pulling them forward. They reached a stream and crossed it- taking a moment to observe the interesting marine life that lived in the clear, shallow water. Then they moved on, determined to make it to their destination on time.

After a while Lance spoke up, again.

“Man, if we actually find this Wallakkis thing Pidge is gonna be  _ so  _ jealous.”

Keith snorted. “That’s if anyone believes we actually found it.” Neither of them ventured into what the implications of the two of them actually seeing the Wallakkis together would mean for them.

Lance groaned. “I wish I had a camera or something… wait- if we took a picture of it do you think we’d be cursed?”

“Probably.”

“What would a curse from a Wallakkis even bring…? We’d probably be doomed to be alone forever and ever until we’re old and wrinkly and--”

Before Lance could finish his melodramatic rant, he slipped and fell down a hill, and Keith- having still been holding Lance’s hand- was pulled down with him.

As they tumbled down the hill through the forest underbrush, the world spinning chaotically around them, Keith somehow managed to grab hold of Lance, keeping him near and doing his best to take the brunt of the fall. The blue paladin, true to his nature, was both screaming in panic and also laughing his head off.

“KEEEIIIITTTHHH IT CAN’T- OUCH- END LIKE THIS-  _ OUCH!” _

Fortunately, it didn’t, and the two paladins landed in a large, muddy puddle, Lance landing on top of Keith. They both groaned in pain at their poor bruised bodies.

“Ugh, my head,” Lance whined, lifting his aching self off of Keith. “Oh my god, Keith, are you okay? Did I squish you?”

“Yes,” Keith murmured, spitting mud and leaves out of his mouth before wiping an arm across his face, trying his best to clear the mud that covered it. Lance had flopped to lay on his side beside Keith, watching him in a worried manner. Keith’s efforts to wipe away the mud just made it worse- his sleeve as dirty as his face was. Lance laughed before cooing apologies, leaning over from his position next to the red paladin to wipe mud off his face and hair.

“Look at you,” Lance giggled, slicking back Keith’s mud-soaked hair. “You look like a little forest creature. A tiny muddy forest troll.”

Lance squeezed Keith’s cheeks with a hand, and at the displeased look on his face he promptly erupted into a fit of laughter, burying his face in Keith’s chest as he tried to calm himself.

“I hate you,” Keith retorted, rolling his eyes though he was smiling. He wrapped an arm around Lance, who was still shaking with laughter. “You’re covered in mud, too, y’know.”

“Yeah but at least I didn’t eat it,” Lance snorted, coming up to look at Keith- eyes filled with tears from laughter. He picked a leaf out of Keith’s hair.

“I wouldn’t have eaten mud if you’d been watching where you were going,” Keith retorted, but there was no bite to the remark, as he was busy watching Lance’s face light up as he laughed at their predicament. The blue paladin eventually stood up, offering Keith a hand. He took it, wincing at the bruises he felt blossoming all over him. Their hands stayed linked as they both observed their surroundings. 

“Are you okay?” Lance asked, serious now. Keith nodded.

“You?”

“Yeah. But I think I lost my hat,” Lance whined, pouting. “Do you think Coran’ll be mad?”

“I think we have bigger problems,” Keith murmured, looking around them. 

“Hm, yeah,” Lance agreed, “we’re definitely lost. I don’t know where that hill took us.”

Keith looked around them, and focused. After a moment of concentration, he could hear the trickling of water from far off.

“We gotta get to the stream and follow it to the lake Walaya mentioned,” Keith listened for another moment, then tugged Lance along. “This way.”

Lance squeezed Keith’s hand before catching up alongside him, pressing near.  _ “Thank you  _ super Galra hearing.”

Despite being covered head to toe in mud and possibly having ruined their fancy clothes for good, their trek through the lightly glowing flora was a magical experience. Small glowing critters popped from the foliage to greet them, staring with wonder and confusion at the foreign guests as they passed. Other creatures ran off at the sight of them- providing only a glimpse of their glowing patterns before they disappeared. There were animals that looked much like ones on Earth- bunnies and deer, some that resembled foxes and small horses. Then there were some more alien, looking like living tree stumps.

Keith led them up a winding path that took them what seemed to be much higher than what they had fallen through. It didn’t take them long before they found the stream and were back on the path. A little further ahead, the stream widened, looking more like a river, now.

Small aquatic creatures lit up the dark water, and for a moment the two of them stopped to observe them, almost forgetting what they’d taken this walk for. It was so easy to get lost in the wonder of this planet’s nature, Keith realized.

“This planet is so amazing,” Lance whispered as he reached into the water, seeing the creatures dart out of the way of his hand. “It’s crazy to think a place like this just  _ existed  _ while we were on Earth, unaware of it. It’s all so beautiful.”

“It is,” Keith replied, finding he was looking back at Lance’s expression- the wonder in his gaze.

Lance looked up, expecting to find Keith looking at the swimming pattern of the creatures in the river, only to catch his gaze- those warm, violet eyes focused solely on Lance, himself. The fond look on Keith’s face- one Lance was sure Keith wasn’t even aware he was making- was almost too much for Lance to bear. He felt warmth spread across his cheeks as he met Keith’s gaze with his own.

A moment later, Keith blinked and looked away- a red dusting on his cheeks. He cleared his throat and gestured to the path leading further up the terrain.

“We should continue,” Keith said, and pulled Lance along with him.

The forest around them seemed to begin to buzz with energy and a sort of otherworldly feeling. There were trees here they hadn’t seen anywhere else in the forest, so far. They were four gigantic trees that almost looked as if they were covered in fur, their trunks thinner than the others around them. Lance and Keith looked up to see if they could find any branches or canopies, but the rest of the trees were obscured by the smaller ones that surrounded them.

“I swear that tree just moved a tiny bit,” Lance said, gripping Keith’s arm tightly before pointing at one of the fur-covered trees. Keith stared closely at the spot Lance pointed at, but could see no movement. He did hear a faint rustle of leaves, but that easily could be explained by a bout of wind or a forest creature.

“I can’t see any movement at all,” he said, but he didn’t remove his eyes from the tree for several more seconds. Keith reached out to the closest fur tree, about to touch it before Lance gasped, pointing ahead of them down the trail.

“Keith,  _ look!  _ I think there’s a clearing there,” he exclaimed before tugging Keith along, leaving the strange trees behind. The forest immediately thinned out a few paces down the trail, and they soon came upon what looked to be some benches placed in different spots throughout the clearing. The benches sat atop the hill, overlooking a giant beautiful lake. They were high above it, looking out over the faintly glowing landscape below. A little further off past the lake, they could see the city. Despite the darkness, they could see every detail of their view, thanks to the many different-colored patterns in the landscape.

They stared at the lake for a moment, as tiny bugs that looked like fireflies with long flowy tails flitted about before them, forming elegant curves and trails in the air. 

“So, we definitely overshot the lake,” Keith murmured, and Lance snorted.

“Yeah, but this view is better,” Lance admired. “It’s wonderful.” 

“Yeah,” Keith agreed, barely audible as they took it all in- the creatures they could see swimming towards the surface of the lake, lighting up the water in different areas in their wake. Animals were gathered in some places along the shore, drinking and relaxing. Giant flowers and trees grew in abundance as far as the eye could see, hugging the town. The mansion, on top of its hill, even looked to be a part of the nature itself with its glowing blue details.

One of the benches around them stood perfectly placed near the edge of the hill they had climbed. They both moved over to sit down on it, not taking their eyes off the view.

Lance, feeling brave, took hold of Keith’s hand and brought it into his own lap, fiddling with it while he watched the scene before them.

Keith stiffened for a moment before he relaxed, letting Lance create little ministrations on his palm- tracing along his fingers. It felt lovely.

“Even if we didn’t find the Wallakkis, this was all very worth it,” Lance decided, a content smile on his face. “Including the tumble downhill,” he added slyly, making Keith laugh. Then the two paladins met eyes, and Lance’s smile softened. “This was amazing… thank you, Keith.”

There was a time, Lance felt, where he thought that happiness would be impossible for him to obtain, anymore. He’d been afraid he’d never feel like this, again- relaxed and giddy and able to see the wonder in things around him. 

But here he was, reliving and taking in bountiful amounts of everything he thought he’d lost. With  _ Keith.  _ Wonderful, talented, beautiful Keith.

Keith smiled shyly, his nerves building up once again. He watched where their hands were linked, then met Lance’s eyes.

“Back when we were dancing,” he spoke up, his voice soft- like he was afraid he’d break something in the air, “you were going to tell me something.”

Lance smiled, and something about it was devious and bashful all at the same time. He laughed softly, looking like he was about to say something before he reddened, burying his face in Keith’s shoulder.

He murmured something inaudibly, and Keith chuckled, a hand going to Lance’s back to rub it soothingly.

“Didn’t quite catch that, Lance.”

Lance lifted his face up, looking at Keith before dodging his gaze, rolling his eyes though a smile was on his lips. He huffed out a dramatic breath.

“I was  _ going  _ to say that now would be a great time… for you to kiss me,” he exhaled the last bit quickly, avoiding Keith’s eyes.

For some reason, though his heart leapt to his throat at the statement, Keith didn’t feel nervous, anymore. There was a calm that came with Lance’s reveal- with the affirmation that he wanted this as much as Keith did. Having it spoken, it brought Keith’s confidence back to him.

He smiled, and gave a low hum. “Hmm… well, does this moment fit your criteria?”

Lance giggled shyly, sitting himself up straighter as he nonchalantly looked around them, observing their surroundings with a faux-serious look on his face. He shrugged a shoulder, rolling his eyes before meeting Keith’s gaze with a barely-contained smile.

“It’ll have to do.”

Keith smiled back at that, his hand leaving Lance’s back to trail towards his shoulder, up his neck before cradling his cheek. He smoothed a thumb under Lance’s eye- over the smile-wrinkle.

“Well?” he prodded on.

“Kiss me already, Mullet,” Lance demanded.

Keith obliged. He obliged more than once, in fact.

Their lips slid together almost too perfectly- the heat of it nearly making Keith dizzy, and he couldn’t help but notice how well they fit together. Lance’s hand fixed itself like a puzzle piece against the curve of Keith’s neck, their chests pressed together as they moved closer, angling themselves this way and that to take in as much as they could of one another.

When they pulled away, it was barely a hair's breadth from one another. Keith could feel Lance’s breath on his lips- their noses brushing.

_ “Keith,”  _ Lance whined, and that did something to Keith, made him inch closer to give the blue paladin a firm kiss before he let him continue, “you have no idea… how  _ long  _ I’ve wanted to do that.”

Keith laughed- a shaky thing- before he replied, his voice sounding different to his ears, “I think I can take a guess.”

Lance laughed, shoulders shaking under Keith’s hands, and his hands grasped the muddied cloth of Keith’s shirt, pulling him closer.

“Well, then,  _ don’t stop,”  _ Lance ordered him, and Keith was more than happy to follow the command.

They were so wrapped up in one another, they didn’t even notice the Wallakkis that walked behind them, amongst the edge of the clearing. It paused to give them a contemplative glance before shaking its long fur and walking along, disappearing into the wilderness, blending into the trees.

* * *

It was very late when Lance and Keith made their way back to the mansion, and to the hall that had their rooms they had been shown earlier. They lingered by their doors, hands locked together, gazing shyly at one another.

“I’d better go wash off all this mud before it's stuck to me forever,” Lance joked, making Keith laugh.

“Yeah, same,” he agreed, before catching Lance’s eyes. “I’ll see you in the morning?”

Lance nodded in answer, eyes bright before he cupped Keith’s cheek and leaned in, giving him a kiss. When he was about to pull away, Keith inched closer, beckoning him back, and Lance did, melting once again into their kiss- Keith’s hand finding its way to the back of Lance’s neck.

When they finally parted, Lance looked as dizzy as Keith felt, and they giggled at one another, drunk off the night.

Then Lance finally left, not before giving Keith a peck on the cheek, and disappeared into his room, shutting the door behind him. Keith watched him go, leaning against the wall for a moment as he tried to gather his racing thoughts- a smile permanently glued to his lips. His knees felt weak.

“So… did you see the Wallakkis?” A voice spoke up, interrupting Keith from his drifting and making him jump, whirling to look at the source.

Shiro was behind him, and Keith looked at him with horror at having been caught. Shiro just looked at him with a delighted, mischievous glint in his eyes. He even wiggled his eyebrows to Keith’s dismay. He didn’t even know people could do that.

_ “What?”  _ Keith’s voice cracked, making Shiro’s grin go wider. Quiznak. It had already been a slim chance before for Keith to deny his plan if Shiro pressed him about it, but now that chance had been reduced to zero.

“Come now, Keith, it was obvious what you were planning. I saw you forming it the moment Walaya was finished telling the tale. I know you well enough by now to read you,” Shiro clapped Keith’s shoulder hard, jarring his entire body. Then he wiped his dirty hand along his dress pants. “And, well… judging by the, ah… well, I guess it worked.”

Keith choked, covering his face,  _ “Shiro, oh my god!  _ We slipped and fell in the mud by accident, it’s not what you think.” Shiro was laughing, and Keith gave him a glare, crossing his arms. “We didn’t see it- the Wallakkis,” Keith revealed. “But I don’t mind. It was still worth it,” he hadn’t actually meant to say that last part out loud, but considering it was Shiro it was hopeless trying to keep anything from him.

Shiro smiled warmly, his smile turning genuine.

“I take it you’re finally getting somewhere, then?” he asked as he pulled Keith into a sideways hug that Keith let himself melt into- too happy with the progressions of this evening to turn away from the gesture. Shiro had known of Keith’s feelings for a long time, already. He could feel his brother’s happiness for him, and found himself grateful to have someone who  _ cared _ so much about him.

He smiled and sighed, a feeling of relief leaving him lighter than ever before.

“Yeah. We are.”


End file.
